Product category:
Monitoring and sensor equipment and systems
News Release from: Hemisphere GPS
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 07 June 2005
Tracking transcontinental solar powered
cars race
CSI Wireless has become a major sponsor of the world's longest solar car race.
CSI Wireless has become a major sponsor of the world's longest solar car race It is to supply asset-tracking products so organisers and fans can closely track the solar-powered cars' progress throughout the 2,500-mile race
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 18 Aug 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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CSI Wireless will equip each of as many as 30 university teams and their flying saucer-like cars in the North American Solar Challenge to be run from July 17-27, starting in Austin, Texas, to Calgary, Alberta.
The organisers will use the company's Asset-Link systems that are normally used for the monitoring and management of truck fleets, construction equipment and other mobile assets.
The Asset-Link units will transmit data identifying each car's location, heading and speed every 10 minutes.
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CSI will relay the data to race officials and internet-accessible maps will pinpoint a car's location so precisely that officials will know on what street it is travelling and when it has crossed specific intersections, said CSI.
Regularly updated maps featuring the cars' current locations will be available for public viewing on the solar challenge web site at http://www.americansolarchallenge.org/ added the company.
The first two solar challenges - in 2001 and 2003 - followed the famous Route 66 highway between Chicago and Los Angeles.
This year, for the first time, the challenge will include Canadian stops and finish in Calgary.
The cars will leave on July 17 from the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin and arrive on July 27 at the University of Calgary's Olympic Oval.
They will compete for about 10 hours a day, travelling on conventional highways at conventional highway speeds - powered only by the sun.
There will be check stops, or overnight stays in Weatherford, Texas; Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Topeka, Kansas; Omaha, Nebraska; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Fargo, North Dakota; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Brandon, Manitoba; Regina, Saskatchewan; Medicine Hat, Alberta; and Calgary, Alberta.
More than 40 universities from across North America are hoping to be amongst the teams that qualify to enter their cars in this year's solar challenge.
The first qualifying competition was held in late May in Topeka.
A final elimination qualifier will be held July 10-15 in Austin.
Solar challenge director Dan Eberle said: "CSI's Asset-Link units are a major benefit to the competition's organisers and fans.
The units will help event organisers ensure the safety and security of the solar cars and their drivers, whilst confirming the cars are following the prescribed course.
The units will also enable fans to take an active, personal interest in the 11-day event by monitoring the teams' progress." Stephen Verhoeff, CSI's president and chief executive officer, commented: "The solar challenge offers a unique opportunity for us to showcase our asset-tracking products - they'll be used by event officials in the same way they are used by trucking companies and other fleet operators - while also helping to promote solar power and other renewable energy sources." Asset-Link features GSM or Aeris.net's MicroBurst wireless technology.
Other solar challenge sponsors include the US Department of Energy, Environment Canada, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Aeris.net.
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